Abstract: An improved arbitration scheme including multiple arbiters for arbitrating access to a PCI bus and an ISA bus. The PCI arbiter controls access to the PCI bus by various bus masters, including the CPU/main memory subsystem, various other PCI bus masters, an enhanced DMA or EDMA controller, and an 8237-compatible DMA controller. The PCI arbiter utilizes a modified LRU arbitration scheme. Further, an SD arbiter exists to arbitrate access to the data portion (SD) of the ISA bus. The various devices that may request the SD bus include the EDMA controller, a PCI master in a PCI-to-ISA operation, the DMA controller, an ISA bus master, and the refresh controller. The SD arbiter assigns the highest priority to the PCI bus, followed by the refresh controller, EDMA controller, and DMA controller or ISA bus masters. The DMA controller includes an arbiter for arbitrating between its channels.

Abstract: A system, adapted for use with connectable building components used to build a unit, includes a structure having an open area accessible from the front of the structure for storing the unit. A baseplate is moveable between a storage position for controlled movement of the baseplate in the open area and an extended position adapted for building the unit from the connectable building components. The baseplate includes either a plurality of upwardly extending members, openings or other connectors for connecting the unit to the baseplate. Guide rails block upward movement of the baseplate and the closure when moved in the closed position blocks movement of the baseplate out of the structure. The system further includes a plurality of drawers having compartments positioned in the structure movable between a retracted position adapted for storing and transporting the connectable building components and an extended position for access to the connectable building component.

Abstract: An apparatus supports the sharing of a resource among computer applications. The computer system has a processor which adapted for executing a first application in a first mode of operation and a second application in a second mode of operation. The computer system also has a communication port adapted to receive the resource. The communication port is normally allocated to receive accesses from the second application. The computer system also has a virtual port for emulating the communication port. The virtual port diverts accesses from the first application directed at the communication port and buffers the accesses in the virtual port. An arbitrator is connected to the processor, the communication port, and the virtual port. The arbitrator claims the communication port from the second application and forwards accesses received by the virtual port to the communication port if the first application is accessing the resource and if the communication port is idle.

Abstract: A current switch is provided which selects and monitors charge and discharge states of a battery pack of a computer system. The current switch provides a current sense signal which is an indication of the current in the battery pack in order that a charge control circuit can monitor the charge state of the battery pack. The gain of the current sense signal is adjusted, depending on whether the battery pack is in a fast charging, trickle charging, or discharging state when the computer system is in a standby mode. Thus, the current switch provides a sufficient current sense signal for accurate current measurements while dissipating little power for the various battery pack charge states.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling bus error signals is provided for a computer having a processor, an interrupt controller, a first PCI bus with first PERR# and SERR# signals, and a second PCI bus with second PERR# and SERR# signals. The apparatus has a buffer with an input connected to ground, an enable input connected to the second SERR# signal, and an output connected to the first SERR# signal. When the second SERR# signal is asserted, the first SERR# signal is also asserted via the buffer and is provided to one input of the interrupt controller. In an alternate embodiment, the buffer enable input is connected to the first SERR# signal and the buffer output connected to the second SERR# signal. The apparatus also receives the first and second PERR# signals and logically ORs the signals together to generate a combined PERR# signal.

Abstract: A variable density light-polarizing spectacles apparatus comprising a frame having right and left lens carrier portions, a bridge portion, and rearwardly directed temples for supporting the spectacles apparatus before the eyes of the wearer. Inner right and left lenses are rotatably mounted within the right and left lens carrier portions, respectively. Each inner lens has a notched portion at its periphery. A gear assembly is positioned substantially between the right and left lens carrier portions of the frame. The gear assembly meshes with the notched portion of the inner lenses to allow for the simultaneous rotation of the inner right and left lenses. The frame has an upwardly-facing opening substantially above the bridge portion. A portion of the gear assembly extends slightly beyond the upwardly facing opening of the frame to permit manual adjustment of the orientation of the inner lenses. A removable, outer lens assembly slidably engages the frame.

Abstract: A flexible insulated air duct is provided with a core of a helical wire encapsulated in a tape, an insulation blanket wrapped around the core, and a jacket with a diamond interlock scrim on the outside of the insulation blanket. The jacket is comprised of an inside layer, a diamond-interlock scrim, a parallel scrim, and an outer coat layer. The diamond-shaped scrim has yarns arranged in a criss-crossed pattern, while the parallel scrim has yarns arranged in parallel. The criss-crossed yarns are made from a heavier gauge material with better tensile strength than that of the parallel yarns. The inside layer, the parallel and criss-crossed yarns, and the outer layer are laminated together using an adhesive. The completed jacket is pulled over the insulation blanket and the inner core to form a flexible air duct having a jacket with a diamond interlock scrim.

Abstract: An improved surgical retractor stay has an integrally formed handle body and elongated elastic member with a tail that can engage a slot of a retractor. The improved construction preferably includes an injection molded one piece handle and elongated member so that void spaces are eliminated. A wire hook member includes multiple folded sections that are encapsulated by the handle (e.g., during injection molding of the handle about the hook member). An exposed portion of the hook member extends beyond the distal tip of the handle body and provides a sharp end portion that is used to engage selected body tissue.

Abstract: An improved acetabular cup prosthesis has a cup body with inner convex and outer concave surfaces. The cup body has an apex and a base that defines a plane. The cup body outer convex surface has a toroidally shaped portion between the base and the transition. In one embodiment, the outer convex surface is toroidally shaped between the rim and a distance about one third of the distance of the rim to the apex. In another embodiment, a plurality of cup bodies are provided in a range of sizes between about 40 mm and 80 mm. Each cup body has a companion rotary reamer that is correspondingly shaped. The companion cup body is oversized between about 1 mm and 3 mm so that a generally constant change in volume is provided for all cup sizes between 40 mm and 80 mm.

Abstract: Cardiovascular and other medical implants fabricated from low-modulus Ti--Nb--Zr alloys to provide enhanced biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. The cardiovascular implants may be surface hardened by oxygen or nitrogen diffusion or by coating with a tightly adherent, hard, wear-resistant, hemocompatible ceramic coating. The cardiovascular implants include heart valves, total artificial heart implants, ventricular assist devices, vascular grafts, stents, electrical signal carrying devices such as pacemaker and neurological leads, defibrillator leads, and the like. It is contemplated that the Ti--Nb--Zr alloy can be substituted as a fabrication material for any cardiovascular implant that either comes into contact with blood thereby demanding high levels of hemocompatibility, or that is subject to microfretting, corrosion, or other wear and so that a low modulus metal with a corrosion-resistant, hardened surface would be desirable.

Abstract: A portable personal computer, such as a notebook computer, is provided with an infrared (IR) port which is accessible to IR light signals sent toward the frontal face or aspect of the computer, where the data entry mechanism, such as a keyboard or touchpad, is located. The computer system may also include a conventional, rear mounted infrared light entry port, so that infrared communications may be made to the computer from several directions, such as both the front and rear of the computer. This overcomes the need for special cabling and a separate electronics board for extra IR interface electronics in the portable computer housing, where space is typically at a premium.

Abstract: A computer system having an expansion base for docking a portable portion of the computer system includes a bridge circuit for adaptively decoding addresses on a bus based on the docking status. Both the expansion base and the portable portion include the bridge circuit for passing cycles from a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus to an industry standard architecture (ISA) bus. The bridge includes internal devices and configuration registers for controlling the decoding. Bus cycles intended for internal devices and external devices connected to each respective ISA bus of the bridge circuits are positively decoded. Cycles not positively decoded and claimed are subtractively decoded by one of the bridge circuits depending on the docking status.

Abstract: A computer console has a computer monitor platform and a keyboard platform. Movement of a system of support arms for the computer platform is controlled by a pressurized gas cylinder via a control cable extending from the underside of the platform at its front edge. The keyboard platform is mounted by arms secured to an eccentrically mounted elongated cylinder whereby the horizontal position of the keyboard is maintained during movement well below and well above the computer platform, the keyboard platform also mounted for both positive and negative tilt of 8.degree. above and below the horizontal.

Abstract: An apparatus and process are provided for improving the flavor of a bottle of liquor. An adapter seals the bottle, and an air inlet tube extends from the atmosphere through the adapter into the liquor in the bottle. A vacuum pump connected to the bottle draws air from the atmosphere through the air inlet tube into the liquor. The air percolates bubbles up through the liquor and is exhausted through the vacuum pump. Volatile compounds are drawn out of the liquor as a result of this action and discharged with the air, improving the flavor of the liquor.

Abstract: A fault tolerant multiple network server system in which multiple servers concurrently act as back-up servers for each other even while they are providing their own server services to the system. Rather than having an unused server monitoring for failure of a primary server and taking over control, each is act upon the network, but when its partner should fail, it assumes control of these partner servers storage subsystem. In this way, processing power of both servers is available during normal operation, but they each provide back-up capability for the other.

Abstract: A power supply circuit is provided for a battery powered real time clock in a microprocessor based computer system. The power supply circuit monitors the output of the original battery and provides a warning indication when the battery output begins to drift or fade. A replacement battery may then be connected to the circuit. The circuit then substitutes power from the replacement battery for that from the original battery.

Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus (which can be a boiler) includes a plurality of tanks assembled together. Each of the tanks is a separate structural member that provides opposed parallel surfaces. The surfaces carry a plurality of parallel longitudinally extending U-shaped grooves that are correspondingly placed. When the grooves are aligned, they form a first plurality of channels for holding a first fluid system. A load-carrying portion of each plate-like tank extends between the opposed surfaces. A second plurality of fluid conveying channels carries a second fluid system through the load carrying portion of the tank. Fluid inlets and outlets are provided for each fluid system. The design of the present invention provides an improved plate-like tank structure that allows the separate fluid systems to be maintained at substantial pressure differentials such as, for example, between about 1,000-3,200 p.s.i.

Abstract: A control system using pulse width modulation, current-mode control to regulate a flyback converter for small input currents. The control system generates a ramp voltage indicative of an input current of the converter with an added bias to overcome the effects of switching noise attributable to parasitic elements in the converter. The ramp voltage is compared with an error voltage is order to obtain the pulse width modulated on-time of a primary switch. Thus, the control system maintains control for small duty cycles of the primary switch by having a control region immune to switching noise.